Battlestations: Halo
Battlestations: Halo is a space flight simulator, based on the insanly popular Halo serioes. The game allows the player to command ships ranging from a single ship (Longsword, Phantom, etc.) to a Fleet, consisting of up to 24 ships. It has an expansion pack, Battlestations Halo: Necros War. Control Scheme Views Due to the fact that it is a ship based strategy game in space, it is easy to get lost. By using the Bridge view, this is easily avoided, as one can see everything with radar and sensors, and select targets with the targeting screen. The Player can also manually aim the MAC Cannon(s) (for UNSC ships) from this view. But, if one so desires, one can use the trailing camera 200m above and 400m behind the top of the ship. This give a better picture of a battle, but it is harder to aim weapon systems and you do not get the Radar or targeting feedback. Character When you start the game, you create a character. The character is either Human (UNSC, URF; male or female), Sangheili, or Jiralhanae. You also can customize the facial features, skin color, and other minor things. UNSC UNSC Background The United Nations Space Command was formed by the United Nations during the Interplanetary War. After the eventual UNSC victory, overpopulation on Earth became a major issue in the early 22nd century. This issue was resolved and disaster averted by colonizing and building vast cities on other planets in the Orion Arm of the galaxy, the Inner Colonies and later the Outer Colonies. The UNSCs defensive military force is the UNSC Defense Force (UNSCDF), and consists of the UNSC Air Force, the UNSC Army, the UNSC Marine Corps and the UNSC Navy. The UNSC is run by the UNSC Security Council, under the jurisdiction of the Security Committee and is Earth's main military force, most recently fighting the Covenant. The Navy houses the divisions of UNSC Marines (including the special forces branch of the UNSC Marines known as Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, more commonly known as ODSTs or "Helljumpers"), the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI), and the Fleet. The UNSC was originally designed to keep the peace, order, and control, thus serving as an executive governmental branch between neighboring planets and star systems. When certain rebellious factions began to rise in the late 2510s, the UNSC was forced to police its protected colonies tirelessly to keep privateers and pirates from raiding the colonies and any UNSC ships. The Unified Earth Government and the United Nations still exist and operate the UNSC. It acts as a democratic world government, where all the participant nations share the same legal system as the UNSC and act as smaller parts of the greater whole. Ranking system- Experience Points(UNSC) Ranking up is done by earning experience points (XP). When you get a certain amount, you promote, and get a more important role in running the ship. To earn XP, you have to get good OPRs and do your job well.You have to go through the Naval Academy before getting command of a ship. It also gives your Character rank faster, so he/she don't go to a battle as an Ensign. Using Experience Points You can use experience points to Promote or to add ships to your formation (at a cost, of coarse). Not to mention impressing other players with ribbons and tags. Officer Performance Reports Officer Performance Reports (or OPRs for short) are the evaluation of your character by a higher-ranking officer. The better report you get, the faster you will promote. UNSC Ranks *''Ensign'' - Starting off. The job is to simply control the 50mm Anti Aircraft guns, and Archer Missiles. You can also control a single fighter. To promote, you need 50 XP. *''Lieutenant junior grade'' - The job here is to manage Damage control. You also control a flight of 3 fighters. To promote, you need 100 XP. *''Lieutenant'' - Your job is to simply fly the ship where the Captain tells you to fly it, in addition of managing the MAC Cannons and the officers under your command, in charge of Damage-Control, and the 'guns/Archer Missiles. You control the ship (to a degree). To Promote, you need 225 XP. *''Lieutenant Commander'' - Congratulations on your first command, a Frigate, Corvette or Cutter (depending on OPR from last posting). You control all of the actions of the ship, although you are not free to act independently. To promote, earn 500 XP. *''Commander'' - You should now have a destroyer and might have a Frigate under your command as well. To promote, earn 1150 XP. *''Captain'' - You now probably command a flotilla consisting of a Destroyer, 2 Frigates, and a couple of Corvettes. To promote, earn 2500 XP. *''Rear Admiral'' - Considering your rank, you ought to command a Squadron, complete with a Cruiser, 2 Destroyers, 3 Frigates, and a couple of Corvettes. To promote, earn 8000 XP. *''Vice Admiral'' - You control any UNSC forces around a planet. You also command a Task Group (With a Battleship). To promote, you need 20,000 XP. *''Admiral'' - You control all UNSC forces in a System. You also command your own Battle Fleet (With a Carrier). To promote, you need 50,000 XP. *''Fleet Admiral'' - You are now in charge of an entire theatre of operations. You also command a Fleet (with a Super-Carrier). All UNSC ships within system (unless otherwise specified) are under your control. You can't promote. UNSC Ship-Based Weapons As a commander of a vessel, you have many different weapons available to your ship. These weapons can be employed in many different ways and proper use of them is essential to win, or even survive a battle in Space. Mini-Magnetic Accelerator Cannon A smaller-MAC Cannon that is small enough to fit on Corrvette. In fact, they are small enough for a Corvette to hold quite a few. They are usually deployed in Dual Turrets. Alone, a single Mini-MAC is not very effective against Covenant ships, but fairly effective against UNSC or USR Ships. MAC Cannon A Magnetic Accelerator Cannon shoots super-dense metal slugs. Can cripple or destroy a UNSC or USR ship in one shot. Covenant ships require 2-3 direct hits. Cannot be countered. The only way for a vessel to escape a crippling hit is to use the ships Emergency Thrusters to get out of the way. Archer Missile High explosive missiles that are fast and hard hitting. Can cripple UNSC and USR ships with only a couple dozen. Ineffective against Covenant ships with shields. Extremely effective on ships without shields. Can be countered by other Archer Missiles or 50mm AA fire. 50 millimeter Anti-aircraft guns Small guns that fire a couple hundred rounds a second. Very effective against single ships and small ships (i.e. Cutters and Corvettes), but not very useful against larger ships. SHIVA Nuclear missile Nuclear weapon that can turn the biggest and best armed ship to slag. Extremely effective on UNSC and USR ships. Highly effective on Covenant ships. Disrupts electronics. Countered with Archer Missiles and/or 50mm AA fire. Antimatter-Tipped Shiva Missile (1lb warhead) Equipped with a warhead containing an orb of antimatter magnetically suspended in a vacuum chamber. A mere pound of antimatter coming in contact with matter can produce a blast equivalent to 100 hydrogen bombs, and is capable of wiping out a Covenant Assault Carrier. Because of its power and the autorization required to have one and use it in combat, the Antimatter Shiva is only available once the player reaches the rank of Captain. Can be countered much like a regular Missile. Super MAC Cannon A much larger version of a MAC Cannon. It shoots the same type of ammunition as the regular MAC Cannon, except much bigger. Will destroy ANY ship it contacts. Covenant battleships are the exception, as they will merely be crippled. UNSC Hand-held weapons (for repelling boarders) During battles, your ship may be boarded, and it is all hands to repel boarders. Your character can use the issued sidearm and defend the ship, or you can outfit your character with a better weapon. As you progress in defending your ship, you might have to pick up a bigger and better gun. *M6C - The basic pistol. It holds 8 rounds. It can be upgraded to be full-automatic and to have a bigger clip. *M6D - The pistol with the biggest round. It has a 12 round clip. It is capable of piercing Elite shielding in 3-5 shots. Can be upgraded with 4x scope, longer barrel (for better range), stock (like the Army M6J Carbine version) and bigger magazine. *Model 2511 Pistol - Older Pistol that shoots a large .45 High-Explosive/Armor Peircing (HE/AP) slug. Fair recoil and 8 round clip. Highly effective in close quarters, like other Pistols. Can be upgraded with bigger magazine. *M7 SMG - A Sub-machine gun with high rate of fire, and 60 round caseless magazine. It shoots smaller, caseless bullets though. It can be upgraded to accommodate a 120 round Magazine and/or a Silencer. *BR55 - A Bullpup Battle Rifle with 36 rounds of 9.5x40mm ammo. It is capable of piercing Elite armor in two or three Bursts. Comes equipped with a 2x scope. Can be upgraded to have a bigger clip, a flash-suppressor/silencer, and a grenade launcher. *MA5B - A Bullpup Machine Gun, with a Magazine of 60 rounds of 7.62mm Full Metal Jacket. Equipped with an automatic ammo counter, magnetic compass, and built in Flashlight. It can be upgraded to accommodate an extended magazine. *M90 CAWS (Close Assault Weapon System) - A 8 Gauge pump Shotgun that holds 12 shells before needing a reload. Highly effective in close ranged combat. Ineffective in long ranged combat. Can be upgraded to become automatic, and fire shells with 21 pellets (instead of 7). UNSC Ship-classes Single-ships *''D77 Pelican -5 XP to buy. *''Longsword Interceptor'' -10 XP to buy *''Shortsword Bomber'' -15 XP to buy. *''D77-HAA/I Pelican'' -20 XP to buy *''F/A 712 Scimitar Multirole Fighter'' -50 XP to buy Cutters *''Elco-class Cutter'' - 150 XP to buy Corvettes *''Mako-class Corvette'' -250 XP to buy Prowlers *''Daimonas-Class ONI Prowler'' - 400 XP to buy Frigates *''Standard Frigate''-550 XP to buy Destroyers preparing to 'kill' a Covenant Frigate.]] *''Liberty-class Destroyer'' -600 XP to buy *''Cherokee-Class Destroyer'' -650 XP to buy *''Apache-Class Destroyer'' -700 XP to buy Cruisers *''Halcyon-Class Cruiser'' -1000 XP *''Marathon-Class Cruiser'' -1200 XP *''Gulf-class Light Cruiser'' - Unable to be purchased, can only be earned Battleships *''Yorktown-class Battleship'' -2000 XP Carriers *''Pegasus-Class Carrier'' -2500 XP *''Sleipnir-Class Super Carrier'' -3000 XP Orbital Platforms *Orbital Defense Platform *Orbital Refit Station Covenant Covenant Background The name "Covenant" was taken from the binding pact that forged the peace between the Elites and Prophets. They are combined forces of alien races, and act as the main antagonists in the Halo universe. The war which had devastated their respective races for years, was fought over the Forerunners artifacts on the Elite home world, Sanghelios, with the Elites wishing to preserve them, and the Prophets wishing to use the artifacts to activate them. The Elites held a distinct strategic upper hand, as their militaristic society was ready for a war, but the Prophets had one massive advantage; an immensely powerful Forerunner construct known as the Dreadnought. After the Prophets decided to use the Forerunner Dreadnought against the Elites, the Prophets destroyed the Sangheili forces, while the wise and prudent Elite Commanders, realizing their peril, laid their arms aside and conceded defeat, also doing away with a hatred towards the Prophets. When the Prophets found evidence of the Forerunners and their "Great Journey", hoping to create a peace between them, told the Elites of their discovery and promised to find the means of the Forerunners' transcendence. The Prophets would share this knowledge with the Elites who in turn would protect the Prophets from harm as they searched for transcendent Forerunner artifacts to activate all the Halo Installations. These ideas would be put into the Covenant's founding document, the Writ of Union. At first, the Covenant were only a loose non-aggression pact of two races held together by a common need to avoid mutually assured destruction. But, as their society advanced, so did their technology, culture, and religion. By the time of the Halo games, the Covenant controlled a large part of the Orion Arm of the Milky Way galaxy. They discovered and conquered various races. Their society had evolved into a complicated caste system, with the Prophets governing the Covenant, and the Elites left in charge of the military. The Covenant was a theocracy, based on prophecies about the Sacred rings and The Great Journey. The primary belief of the Covenant was that the Halos will allow them passage into the "Divine Beyond", where they might join the Forerunners as gods, while those who did not believe in the Great Journey would be left behind to die by the power of the Halo Rings. Covenant Promoting Structure ('Kill' points) You promote by 'kills'. The more kills you have, the more rank you will have. Killing a missile, or a single ship earns you points. Killing a Starship earns you many points. How you use Kill points Kill points are used to promote, and add ships to your Formation (at an expense of Kill Points). Covenant 'Kill' Point Structure 5 Kill point *Archer missile *Space debris *Escape Pod 10 Kill Points *Fighters 25 Kill Points *Bombers 50 Kill Points *Dropships 100 Kill Points *Cutter *Corvette 250 Kill Points *Frigate 500 Kill Points *Destroyer 750 Kill Points *Light Cruiser 1000 Kill Points *Cruiser *Heavy Cruiser 1500 Kill Points *Battleship *Light Carrier 2000 Kill Points *Carrier *Bigger ships Covenant Ranks Sangheili (a.k.a 'Elites') *''Minor''-The starting rank. You command only the Anti-aircraft weapons. You also command a single fighter. To promote, earn 250 KP. *''Major''-You command the pulse-lasers. You also command a flight of Fighters or a flight of Bombers. To promote, earn 600 KP. *''Ultra''-You command larger weapons. You also command a win of fighters or bombers. To promote, earn 1000 KP. *''Ship Master''-You command a small vessel now, usually a Picket ship or a Frigate. You gain a ship to your command every 1500 KP. To promote, earn 12000 KP. *''Fleet Master''-You command a fleet of ships. You earn a ship every 1700 KP. To promote, earn 26,000 KP. *''Supreme Commander''-You command all ships in a system (unless specifically ordered otherwise). You also command a large Battlefleet. You can promote with 50,000 KP. However, you can stay this rank and use the points to add more ships to your fleet. *''Imperial Admiral'' - You command all Covenant ships within a Theater of Operations. Every ship will bow to you. You cannot promote, as you command all vessels you can. Jiralhanae (a.k.a. 'Brutes') *Minor- *Major- *Ultra- *Captain- *Captain Major- *Shipmaster- *Fleetmaster- *Brute Chieftain- Covenant Ship-classes Singleships *Seraphs * USR Ranks URF Ship-classes Other species ranks